Solar heater



July 25, 1939. l F. M K|SER 2,167,576

-SOLAR HEATER Filed Aug. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q7 @i /2 /5 Cnj. 33

/P fr INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 25, 1939. F. M. KlsER soLA'R HEATER Filed Aug. 25, 1937 /s/Q., #5 /5- /3 J 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to solar heaters and has for an object to provide a self-contained solar heater and storage tank wherein the water is maintained at a predetermined temperature,

5 electrical heating means being provided when the sun is not shining or when the quantity of heated water being drawn from the system eX- ceeds the quantity of water being heated by the suns rays.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this type in which the supply or" water is automatically controlled so that a predetermined water level will always exist in the water heating tank.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this type in which the glass hood,Y and the water heating tank, are superposed upon an insulated storage tank, the heated water flowing by gravity into the storage tank so that the storage tank will always remain full to supply any number of spigots, the entire assembly being portable, and being self-contained.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specication,

Figure l is a side elevation of a solar heater constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the solar heater shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the solar heater drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the hood and heater tank supporting base shown in Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, ID designates a cover or hood formed of material adapted to concentrate the suns rays upon the water heating tank II within the hood. The size and shape of the hood is determined by the hot Water requirements and the hood'preferably comprises upwardly inclined glass side walls I2, glass end walls I3 and a glass top wall I4, the Walls being connected together and reinformed at their inter- 5 sections by angle iron strips I5. The bottom of the hood is open and iits air tight in a groove I6, formed in a supporting base I'I, best shown in Figure 6.

The water heating tank II is substantially l0 rectangular in contour and may be formed of any heat absorbing material such as copper for example, and constitutes a hot water container. rIhe tank includes side walls I8, end'walls I9,

and top and bottom walls 2U and 2|, best shown l5V in Figures 3 and 5. A water supply pipe 22, best shown in Figures 3 and 4, and preferably connected to the city water supply system, eX- tends upwardly through an opening 23 disposed near one end of the supporting base II 20 and above the top wall of the water heating tank is equipped with a cut off valve 24, best shown in Figure 3. The valve is automatically controlled by a oat 25, having its stem 26 connected to a bell crank 2l which is connected to 25 the valve stern 28.

The water heating tank I I forms a support for heater coils 29 preferably arranged to extend longitudinally along the opposite sides of the water heating tank as best shown in Figures 1, 30 3, 4 and 5. A supply pipe 30 extends from the valve 2d and is provided at the bottom with lateral branch pipes 3I, best shown in Figure 4, which are connected to the bottom run of respective ones of the coils 29. The top runs of the coils 35 are respectively equipped with hook-like discharge spouts 32, best shown in Figure 5, which hook over the top wall I9 oi the water heating tank and extend into the tank through slots formed in the top wall. 40

Water under pressure will thusl flow through the pipes and into the tank until a predetermined water level is reached in the tank whereupon the float 25 will close the Valve. The suns rays striking through the glass hood will heat the coils 45 29 and the hot Water therein will flow through the spouts 32 into the water heating tank II when the valve 24 is opened by lowering of the iioat 25, or when the water level is lowered in the tank I I, thus automatically maintaining a prede- 50 termined water level by pressure. The coils are preferably formed of good heat conducting material such as copper.

The supporting base I1 is supported upon the top of a double walled hot water storage tank 33 5.5

which is preferably rectangular in contour. The space between the walls of the tank is lled with cork insulation 34 or other good insulating material. An outlet pipe 35 projects through the top wall of the storage tank and through the supporting base l1, and enters the bottom of the water heating tank l I. Hot water from the Water heating tank may be let into the storage tank by opening a suitable spigot 36 connected to the storage tank, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, or may be piped from the storage tank to any desired locality.

A drain pipe 31 projects through the supporting base l1 outside of the storage tank and enters the bottom of the space between the Water heating tank and the hood ID to drain oi any overiiow from the water heating tank.

An electric heater 38 is disposed in the bottom of the water heating tank and may be connected by circuit wires 39 to any source of electricity. A suitable switch of course is employed to close the circuits through the coil from some remote point. A similar electric heater 40 is disposed in the bottom of the storage tank and is connected to a switch controlled suitable source of current supply by circuit wires 4l. These heaters are turned on when Weather conditions are not suitable to heat the water in the water heating tank and also Whenever the quantity of heated water drawn from the system exceeds the quantity of water being heated by the suns rays.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A solar heater comprising a glass hood, a supporting base having a groove receiving the lower edge of the hood, a water heating tank supported on the base within the hood, a water supply pipe entering the tank, a oat controlled valve in said pipe, water heating coils disposed exteriorly of the said tank and exposed to sun rays passing through the hood, said water heating coils being connected at one end to said pipe and at the opposite end projecting into the top of the water heating tank, an insulated storage tank disposed underneath and supporting the insulating base, a draw 01T spigot connected to the storage tank, and a pipe extending through said insulating base and opening into the bottom of the water heating tank and opening into the top of the storage tank for permitting the contents of the water heating tank being drawn oir through the storage tank.

2. A solar heater comprising a glass hood, a supporting base having a groove receiving the lower edge of the hood, a Water heating tank supported on the base Within the hood, a Water supply pipe entering the tank, a oat controlled valve in said pipe, water heating coils disposed exteriorly of the said tank and exposed to sun rays passing through the hood, said water heating coils being connected at one end to said pipe and at the opposite end projecting into the top of the water heating tank, an insulated storage tank disposed underneath and supporting the insulating base, a pipe extending through said insulating base and opening into the bottom of the water heating tank and opening into the top of the storage tank, a draw off spigot connected to the storage tank and electrically operated heating devices in said water heating tank and in said storage tank.

FRED M. KISER. 

